- Date
- February 11, 1989, 07:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Yarmouth, MA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 minor, 3 uninjured; on the ground: 1 fatal, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N38529Piper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 2, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890211065539A
- Case key
- 36378
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing which resulted from binding of the carbuerator throttle shaft. The binding resulted from an improper overhaul of the carbuertor approximately 10 flight hours prior to the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot of the Piper PA-28, was on a 2 mile right base leg to runway 24 at hyannis airport, MA, and had just reduced power when the throttle got stuck in the closed position. The pilot felt that he could not make it to the airport, so he attempted a landing on a highway. As the aircraft was about to touch down on the highway the landing gear hit a car, killing a passenger riding in the car. Exam of the engine revealed that the throttle shaft had seized with the throttle plate in the closed position. Exam of shaft scratching and galling at the bushing. Testing of the bushing and shaft revealed both were manufactured of the same material and were below the hardness specification of the carburetor manufacturer. The carburetor had been manufactured approximately 10 flight hours prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38529
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7716266
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James Orme & R.Feuersange
- Registered owner
- Raa Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 5, 1988
- Departed
- Taunton, MA
- Destination
- HYA · Hyannis, MA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 80 total · 9 in this make and model · 46 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 11 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.